Public Administration, MPA and Criminology and Criminal Justice, MS

Vision Statement

The Master of Public Administration and MS in Criminology and Criminal Justice dual degree program is a collaborative effort between the Schools of Public Administration and Criminology and Criminal Justice. The dual degree offers interdisciplinary preparation in the fields of public administration and criminal justice leading to both the master of public administration and master of science in criminology and criminal justice degrees with fewer required hours than it would take to obtain these degrees independently.

Students pursuing this program must complete 57 total hours and can be pursued both online or in person.

Program Contact Information

Public Administration

James Harrold, PhD, Advisor
402.554.6702
jharrold@unomaha.edu

Criminology and Criminal Justice

Mark Foxall, PhD, CJM, Master of Science Program Coordinator
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
College of Public Affairs & Community Service (CPACS) - 218 
402.554.2610
markfoxall@unomaha.edu

Bobbie Niess, Academic Program Support
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
College of Public Affairs and Community Service (CPACS) - 218
402.554.2610
rniess@unomaha.edu

Admissions

General Application Requirements and Admission Criteria

Program-Specific Requirements

Application Deadlines (Spring 2025 and Fall 2025)

• Spring: October 1
• Fall: June 1

Other Requirements

• Statement of Purpose/Admissions Essay: The essay should be two to four pages (doubled-spaced) and answer the following questions:
  • Please tell us about the factors in your background that will help us understand your interest in a profession in the public or nonprofit sectors, and criminology and criminal justice. 
  • What are your professional goals? Ten years from now, what do you hope to be doing professionally?
  • How can this dual degree help you to achieve these goals?
• Resume
• Letters of Recommendation: Two letters of recommendation are required, the recommendation requests are generated from your online application.  These recommendations should be from professional and academic sources who are directly familiar with your skills and experience. At least one reference should be from an immediate professional supervisor. If you have graduated from an academic program within the past two years, it is suggested that at least one reference should be from a faculty member who can speak directly to your academic preparation for graduate education. References from family members, family friends, personal friends, personal therapists, or other non-professional/academic sources will not be scored.

Degree Requirements